


Time and Place

by glymr



Category: Batgirl (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-23
Updated: 2010-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-09 07:46:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3241814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glymr/pseuds/glymr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm not Dick," said Batman. "And Stephanie Brown is dead."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time and Place

**Author's Note:**

> A series of five interconnected drabbles, written as a gift.

One minute all of Gotham spread out beneath her, a tapestry of lights. In a single eyeblink, it... changed.

"What the-" Steph stared. "Fuck. Oracle?"

Static was her only reply.

The sound of boots hitting the roof behind her made her spin around.

"Batman," she said. "Thank goodness. Something weird's going on-" Batman shoved her up against the edge, one gloved hand on her neck.

"Who _are_ you?" he snarled.

"Batgirl," she whispered, "Dick, it's me. Steph." The hand tightened for a moment, then swung her around to stumble away.

"I'm not Dick," said Batman. "And Stephanie Brown is dead."

* * *

The Batcave was the most familiar thing so far. Seeing as she'd already known how to get there, even Batman admitted that blindfolding her would be pointless.

He was running multiple tests on her now, muttering to himself under his breath. "So," she tried. "Where am I?"

"When I figure that out, I'll tell you," he snapped.

She wandered around the Cave, noting the old trophies and the new ones. She came to a case with a familiar purple and black costume. Beneath it were the words, "Stephanie Brown: A Fearless Hero".

"Who did it?" she said, swallowing back bile.

* * *

"I can't tell you," said Batman. The computer beeped at him, and he nodded. Pulling off his cowl, he ran a hand through his sweaty hair, and she recognized him at last.

"Damian?" He glanced over at her, his expression unreadable. "Jesus, am I in the _future_?"

"I don't think so," he said. "At least, not *your* future."

"I need to get back-"

"I know," he interrupted her. "I'm working on it."

"Can't you call someone-"

"I'm *working* on it, Steph!"

Damian had never called her 'Steph', at least not that she could remember.

"Alright," she said, and went upstairs.

* * *

"You're from an alternate timeline." She stirred and blinked - she'd nodded off on the couch.

"Hunh?" she said. "Alfred?"

His mouth tightened. "Alfred's... gone."

That woke her up. "What about the others?"

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter," he said. "This isn't your world."

"Jeez, kid, are you all alone?"

Something seemed to snap in him. "I'm not a kid!" he shouted. "Even _now_ you think of me - you never saw me as anything but-" He pulled her to her feet and against him, his mouth hard and sweet on hers for a moment before he pushed her away.

* * *

"Damian!"

He closed his eyes. "I should not have done that."

"No, you - were we _lovers_ in this world or something?"

His lips curved sardonically. "You sound surprised, Stephanie. But I cannot blame you." He sighed. "No, we weren't lovers. I was a child. A stupid, reckless _child_ -" for split-second his control slipped, and she could *see* him.

He was broken.

"Damian," she cried, reaching out.

In an eyeblink, he was gone.

"What?" said the Brat-Wonder. "When did *you* get here?"

She could hear Alfred talking to Dick in the hall.

Steph closed her eyes. "Just now," she said.


End file.
